Aeroplane-rudder



C. A. STROM.

AEROPLANE RUDDER.

APPLICATION man JUNE 2a. 1918.

1,313,839. Patented An 19, 1919.

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CARL A. s'rrtoivr, or FLORAL PARK, NEW YoRK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

AEROPLANE-RIfDDER.

Patented Aug. 19; 1919.

Application filed Jiine 28, 1918. Serial No'.242,47s.

To-aZl whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, CARL A. SraoM,'a citizenofthe United States, and aresident ofFloral Park, in the county of Nassau and State ofNevvYork, have invented a new and Improved Aeroplane-Rudder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My inventionrelates to aeroplane rudders or flaps, and it has reference more particularly to a rudder or flap adapted'to direct air 'cti'rfeiit therethrough, with means for varying the position of the rudder or flap to change the direction of the air current, wherebythe direction of the machine may be controlled;

An object of the invention is t 6 i a simple and efficient rubber or flap which is mounted to revolve on an axis or axes at right angles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single rudder which will take the place of vertical and horizontal rudders hitherto employed for the guiding of flying machines.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear end of an aeroplane provided with a rudder embodying my invention, a portion of the structure being broken out to show the details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the rudder structure; and

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the rudder and its mounts.

The rudder 5 is in the shape of a truncated hollow cone open at both ends. It is preferably flattened so that the ends of the truncated cone are elliptical. The rudder is mounted to oscillate on the longer axis of the larger end. For this purpose a shaft 6 is provided within a frame 7. The frame, in turn, is mounted to rotate in a frame 8, which frame is secured to the fuselage 9 of the aeroplane to present the larger end'of the rudder 5 in proximity of the fuselage and at a suitable position to' receive the air current created by'the movement of the flying-machine} The axis of'rotation of the frame? is' at right angles to the axis of oscillation ofthe rudder 5. The rotation'ofthe frame 7 is controlled by flexible members 10 connected to a tilter 11 Wliich"isrigidly secured to one of the trunnions of' theframe'Z. The oscillation'of therudder'f is controlled by flexible members12whi'ch pass to diametrically-op'posit'' pulleys 13 positioned on theaxes of'rotation of the frame 7 i a From the above description it will be a h. i: i 1.. n seen thatthe rudder 5 can be turned about two axes at right angles to one another, in consequence giving any desired direction to the air current passing through the rudder. In view of the fact that the cross-sectional area of the rudder decreases toward the exhaust end of the rudder, the pressure to the outflow increases, and, therefore, the pressure upon the rudder; and in accordance with the position of the rudder, that pressure will produce its effect upon the flying machine withwhich the rudder is provided. It is self-evident that the outer surfaces of the rudder will act in a manner similar to a plain rudder utilized for that purpose, the added effect being that of the pressure caused by the current flowing through the rudder in the desired direction to increase the effect of the rudder upon the flying machine.

l/Vhile I prefer to mount the rudder so that the axes of rotation of same are in proximity of the larger end, it is not at all necessary. The axes of rotation may be midway between the ends or nearer to either end. The rudder may be positioned to be in the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, above or below the same, according to the construction of the fuselage and the effect de-' sired from the current flowing through the rudder.

WVhen the contrivance is used as a flap on the main wings or at the end of the stabilized planes, it will only be mounted to rotate on an axis disposed parallel to the plane for which it forms a flap. It must be understood that under the term aeroplane any flying machine is understood.

WVhile I have described the principle of operation, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merelyillustrative and that such changes may be made as are with; in the scope of the appended claims;

1'. A rudder for aeroplanes in the shape of a hollow flattened frustocone open at the ends and mounted to rotate on axes at right angles, and means for turning said rudder On its axes. V V

2.. Arudder for aeroplanes in the shape of a hollow flattened frustocone open at the a hollow'frustooone open at the ends, the

ends of said cone havingthe shape of an elongated ellipse, said rudder being mounted to rotate" on the axes of the ellipse, and means for turning said rudder on said axes.

4. A rudder for aeroplanes in the shape of a hollow flattened frustocone, the ends of which 'are in theshape of an elongated ellipse, the ends of said cone being open, said'oone being mounted to oscillate onthe axes of the ellipse and adapted to present the larger end to the air current, and means 'ing means for said rudder in which the rudder is mounted to oscillate the axes of the elongated ellipse, said rudder being open at the ends, the larger end being. adapted to receive the air current, and means for oscillating the rudder on its axes. v

'6. A control device for aeroplanes in the shapeof a hollow flattened frustocone open at the ends and adapted to be mounted'atopresent the larger end to the air current.

CARL A. STROM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained 'for live cents each, by addressing the YGommissioner of Patents,

' Washington, 11. 0. 

